Gone are the days when we had to physically visit the clinic of a therapist to schedule an appointment with them. Nowadays, it takes only one phone call or email to check if your available time matches with a specific therapist.
Seeing a therapist has never been easier. Therapy sessions are being done online. In fact, there has been a growing wave of online therapy in the past few years.
7 Cups is one of the most popular platforms for online therapy services. Knowing there are different options available on the market for online therapy, though, it is no surprise that you came here to find out whether DoMental presents an alternative to 7 Cups.
In this article, we are going to compare 7 Cups’ pricing with DoMental’s, as well as types of service and therapy quality. At the end of this article, you should be able to decide whether DoMental is a great alternative to 7 Cups.
Why Online Therapy to Begin With?
Despite the surge in online therapy, many people are still skeptical about meeting with a therapist online, and this is totally understandable. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether it’s worth giving online therapy a try.
What if it doesn't work out? What if it’s just a waste of time and money?
Several studies have found that online therapy is effective in reducing symptoms of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and compulsive gambling disorder.
Online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is also effective in treating mental health illnesses with psychiatric comorbidities. It is cost-effective and useful both in rural and urban settings due to its accessibility.
With all of these studies, it is no wonder that mental health advocates, professionals, and organizations have found online therapy to be the solution with which to reach out to people all around the globe. Location wouldn’t be an issue anymore. There is an internet connection almost everywhere.
Due to the increase in online therapy providers, we acknowledge that it can be hard choosing between these platforms. Let’s look into it further by breaking down the various services that they provide.
Pricing
Online therapy can be expensive, so it’s important that we consider how much it would cost per week.
DoMental offers a variety of payment plans, but in summary, it charges between $29 and $47 per week. You can choose from monthly, quarterly, and biannual plans.
- Monthly Therapy Plan – $47
- Quarterly Therapy Plan – $39
- Biannual Therapy Plan – $29
7 Cups costs roughly $38 per week or a fixed monthly price of $150. Online chat sessions with trained listeners on 7 Cups are for free.
Comparing the pricing on both platforms, DoMental is a much more flexible alternative to 7 Cups. 7 Cups’ prices, on the other hand, are on the stiff side due to the lack of payment plans.
Services
7 Cups
7 Cups offer support from trained listeners and mental health professionals. But what's the difference?
Trained listeners did not have a professional education and experience in providing therapy. However, they completed an active listening training program with 7 Cups, where they learned about advanced skills for communicating empathically. You can find trained listeners in community chat rooms and message boards.
You can choose between one-on-one chat support or group chat support with a trained listener. Their message boards discuss a variety of topics surrounding mental and emotional well-being, providing support to loved ones, self-care, and physical health.
Aside from these, 7 Cups subscription includes mental health professionals with which you can have text-based therapy. Therapists respond once daily, Monday to Friday.
7 Cups therapies are primarily centered on the following approaches:
- Mindfulness techniques
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Interpersonal exercises
DoMental
What makes DoMental different from 7 Cups is that we offer a wide range of services to everyone who needs therapy. Online therapy is available via audio messaging and text which are both unlimited. We can guarantee that you will get at least 2 messages a day from your therapist.
Included in the subscription are the progress tracker, guided meditations, CBT worksheets, a gratitude journal, and a mood tracker.
By the looks of things so far, DoMental’s features provide a good alternative to 7 Cups.
Therapy Quality
7 Cups
The quality of the therapy sessions is vital to one’s recovery and journey towards mental wellness. At 7 Cups, the volunteer listeners are required to complete an online course on active listening through their website.
If you wish to speak with a mental health professional, 7 Cups therapists are licensed, have at least 2 years of experience in providing therapy, and have a Master’s or Doctorate degree in a mental health field.
DoMental
DoMental follows the same set of requirements when it comes to their therapists. All of our therapists are licensed professionals with appropriate academic background and experience in the field of counseling.
Unlike 7 Cups, everyone at DoMental is a qualified and licensed professional, putting you at less risk of having a therapy session with someone who does not have the qualifications and experiences.
Data Privacy
In the world of therapy, confidentiality and consent are given the utmost importance. Both DoMental and 7 Cups adhere to these by ensuring data privacy during the therapy sessions and as part of the apps being used.
7 Cups
In 7 Cups online therapy with a mental health professional, you’ll need to provide your real name, date of birth, contact details, and billing information. However, if you are seeking free support without a licensed therapist, then you can remain completely anonymous.
DoMental
At DoMental, we prioritize our client’s privacy. Your data is protected by federal and state laws and can only be seen by you and your therapist. Conversations are encrypted, meaning only you and your therapist will have access to the chat.
If you also wish to remain anonymous, you can choose your own username when creating your account instead of providing your real name. Should there be any information or records that you wish to be deleted, you can always email us at [email protected].
Getting Started
7 Cups
To get started with 7 Cups, you have the option to download the app to your mobile phone or sign up on the 7 Cups website. For the registration to proceed, you have to provide an active email address, a username, and your birthday.
Certain health insurance providers and employers can get premium access for their members if they are partnered up with 7 Cups. You can check personally on their website if yours is included.
The next step is to fill in a questionnaire about your recent mood and emotional mindset and if there are any specific issues you want to be addressed during the counseling session. You will get a recommendation whether you should seek help from a mental health professional or a trained listener, depending on the results of the questionnaire.
In most cases, listeners on 7 Cups cannot provide mental health support on more serious symptoms like depression episodes, psychosis, severe anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Such cases will be taken care of by a mental health professional instead.
DoMental
As for DoMental, the first step is to choose whether you need individual, couples, or teen counseling. You should see it as soon as you open the homepage. Similar to 7 Cups, there will also be a short questionnaire aimed at understanding your reason for seeking mental health support.
Other questions also include your previous experience with therapy sessions, what type of therapist you’re looking for, and how severe your symptoms are. Shortly after answering the questionnaire, you can select your preferred payment plans.
An AI algorithm will analyze your answers and find the most compatible therapist for you based on your mental health concerns and therapeutic aims. Within a few minutes, a therapist will be recommended to you, although you can be assured that you can change the therapist anytime.
How to Choose
Which platform is right for you? Only you can answer that question.
Based on the comparison made between these two platforms, we cannot deny that both 7 Cups and DoMental have rewarding features to offer.
7 Cups can be a good option for you if you:
- Need a trained listener to unload painful emotions to
- Want advice from someone who has gone through the same experience as you
- Are satisfied with only text messaging with your therapist
Allow me to reiterate that trained listeners are not qualified to address severe mental health symptoms, but therapists are. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, you have to make sure that you are talking to a qualified professional.
DoMental can be a good option for you if you need:
- 24-hour support
- Options for both audio and text messaging with your therapist
- Unlimited chat time
- Flexibility in terms of the payment plans
- More affordable pricing long-term
7 Cups is easily one of the biggest and most popular online therapy providers out there. But DoMental makes a great and effective alternative to 7 Cups. Ultimately, the decision is yours to make.
I would suggest reading DoMental and 7 Cups reviews online to find out the personal experiences of other users. Feel free to explore the websites of 7 Cups and DoMental to learn more about the services they offer.
At the end of the day, what matters most is your mental health.
